Samuel a



(No Model.)

S. A. CHAPMAN.

SHOE CLASP.

No. 322,789. Patented July 21, 1885. w' ,d/

SWMA@ N, PETERS. Phalwl-Mwgnphbr. Wamingiun. D. CA

UNITED STATES ATENT Erica.

SAMUEL A. CHAPMAN, OF VATERBURY, ASSIGNOR'TO JOSEPH O. HAMMOND, JR., OF ROOKVILLE, AND THEODORE E. KING, OF VVESTPOR'I, CONN.

VSHOE-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322.789, dated July 21, 1885.

Application filed May 20, 1885.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, SAMUEL A. CHAPMAN, of W'aterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe- Clasps, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where- Figure lis a top or plan view of my improved tongue and tongue-plate, vshowing the tongue closed. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view in central vertical section of the same on the plane denoted by line :v x of Fig. l. Fig. 4 shows plan views of a tongue-plate blank, showing it iiat, and Valso with the ears turned up, to form the tonguesupports. Fig. 5 is a plan view of an alternate form of tongue-blank. Fig. 6 is a side View of the latter bent to final shape. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the tongue on plane denoted by line y y of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a View in central vertical section of the alternate form of tongue-plate and a strap held by the clasp.

The object of my improvement is to provide a clasp or buckle with a tongue that holds the strap or catch-plate with a firm grasp, but that is adjustable in its bearings, so as to adapt itself to straps of varying thickness.

It consists in a tongue-plate with upright arms or lugs having bearings for the tonguepivot, combined with a bent tongue pivotally supported in the bearings and having a short clamping-arm and a long lever-arm, as more particularly hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter a denotes the. tongue-plate, with upright arms a near one end of the plate and having in 4o each arm the slots b, that form bearings for the tongue-pivot. The slots b are arranged directly opposite each other, are placed diagonal with the base lof the tongue-plate, and are preferably notched or roughened on the upper side, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in order to form a better hold for the pivot of the tongue. The tongue c is of hook shape, with a short or clamping arm, o', and a lever-arm, c2, somewhat longer than the other, and so 5o bent that when the tongue is closed the lever- (No model.)

arm will extend backward along the plate, and rest closely upon it or on the strap. The width of the tongue is such as to allow it to swing freely between the arms, turning on its pivot d, formed in this instance of the integral trunnions projecting from opposite sides of the tongue near the bend into the slots in the arms. The strap eis of proper width to pass between the arms under the tongue, and it may be of cloth, leather, or 6o metal. In the latter case it may be indented, corrugated, or perforated, to form holdingplaces for the clamp-arm of the lever.

The tongue-plate being fastened to an article of wearing apparele-as an overshoe-in order to use the device the strap is passed under the clamping-arm of the tongue, which is raised by means of the lever-arm, and when drawn sufficiently tight the lever-arm is depressed and the strap clamped between the 7,0

edge of the clamping-arm and the tongueplate, the tongue-pivot holding in the slots at the proper height above the strap to properly grasp or bite the strap under the clamp. Any outward pull upon the strap tends to increase the hold of the tongue upon it.

The tongue-plate and tongue are preferably cut from sheet metal, as by means of dies, in the flat form illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and then bent to shape, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, 8C. the arms being formed integral with the tongue-plate andthe pivots integral with the tongue. In these latter Iigures, however, the tongue-plate is shown with circular openings in the arms, (although the slotted form is pre- 8 5 ferred, as seen in Fig. 8,) and it has also a central opening through the plate, and directly between the arms. The bearing edge of the clamping-arm has a finger or lug adapted to project more or less into this central 9o opening when the tongue is closed. If the strap is of yielding material, it will be thrust slightly into the hole by the nger.

I claim as my inventionl. In combination, in a buckle or clasp, a tongue-plate having upturned arms, each provided with a diagonal slot for the pivot-bearings, and a tongue pivotally supported in such bearings, and having a lever-arm and also a short clamping arm turned backward and roo adapted to bind the strap upon the plate, all short clamping-arm turned backward and adapted to bind a strap upon the plate, all substantially as described.

SAMUEL A. CHAPMAN. 'Vitnesses:

W'ILFRED PRooToR, CHAS. XV. GILLETTE.

substantially as described.

2. In combinatgion, a tongue-plate having upturned tongue-supports with the notched 5 or roughened diagonal slots for' the tonguepivots, and a tongue pivotally supported in said bearings and having a level' arm and also 

